Suspended sentence for €40k cannabis possession

A reformed Dublin heroin addict has received a five-year suspended sentence for possessing €39,000 of cannabis resin at his home.

Judge Tony Hunt acknowledged Joseph Martin (aged 41) had agreed to hold the drugs for a third party when he got into debt because he’d been “too embarrassed” to seek financial help from his family after losing his job.

The judge accepted that Martin, of Beech Hill Terrace, Donnybrook, was remorseful and had a supportive family, but warned him he must demonstrate to the probation services that he’s off drugs.

Judge Hunt told Martin he was giving him “one last chance” in “full knowledge that another court might take a different view” of the suspended sentence.

Martin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 24 bars of cannabis resin worth €39,380 in a holdall bag at his then rented home at Philipsburg Avenue, Fairview on January 8, 2008. He has two robbery convictions dating back to 1995 and 1987.

Martin told gardaí he had agreed to look after the drugs for money to help pay off the €2,500 rent debt he had accumulated when he found himself out of work.